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CHAP. IX. Of their Laws and Language.
THere are three things, that ingenious men may possibly be inqui∣sitive after, which have not yet been professedly handled, their Laws, their Language, and their Learning.
Concerning the first, here are no Laws, but the Will of the King, and what soever proceeds out of his mouth is an immutable Law. Ne∣vertheless they have certain antient usages and Customes that do pre∣vail and are observed as Laws; and Pleading them in their Courts and before their Governors will go a great way.
To hint some of them, their Lands are hereditary, and do des∣cend from Parents to their Children. But the eldest son by Priviledg of Birth right does not possess and enjoy all the Land, but if the Father please he can divide it among his Children. Yet in case the eldest son does ••njoy the Land, then without dispute he is to main∣tain his Mother and her Children until they come to years of ability to provide for themselves.
They have a custom in the Land of Ouvah, which is a great breeder of Cattle, and hath but very little Wood, so that they have not where with to make hedges; It is that when they sow their Lands, they drive their Cattle thence, and watch them all day that they break not into the Corn; and at night they tie their Cattle to secure them from straying into the Corn-Lands: otherwise if one Neighbours Cattle eats another neighbours Corn, he must pay the dammage.
Those that are lazy and loath to Plow, or that are Poor and want Corn to sow, the Custom is, to let out their ground to others to Till at Ande, that is at halves; ••ut sees and accustomable dues taken, out by the Husbandman that tills it, the Owner of the Land receives not much above a third part.
For the Hus••and hath divers considerable payments besides his half share of the Corn. As namely, first he hath Cotoumann, that is, so much Corn as they scratch off from the whole heap of trodden Corn by drawing a bundle of Thorns over it. Secondly, Waracool, that is a consideration for the expences they are at in Tilling and Sowing: for which there is a Rate according to the bigness of the field. Thirdly, Warrapoll, that is the Corn they leave at the bottom of the heap af∣ter they have done sanning. Which is the Womans fee ••or their pains in weeding the Corn, and in pulling it it up where it is too thick, and planting it where it is thin, &c. Fourthly, Bolerud which is the Cha•••• and sweepings of the Pit. This sometimes comes to a con∣siderable value according to the quantity of Corn that is trodden. Fi••••ly, Peldorah, which is a piece o•• Corn they leave standing before the watch house, which is set up in their Corn grounds to watch their Corn from the wild beasts. And this left standing is the fee for watch∣ing. There is yet another due Ockyaul which belongs to their Gods, and is an offering sometimes carried away by the Priest; and some∣times they bestow it upon the beggars, and som••times they will take it and hang it up in their houses, and at convenient time sacrifice it